A lump of coal for you

I arrived at my job today (actually almost 20 minutes early) and the teacher had left me no sub plans and very little work for the class. I would be subbing for a second grade class. She did have her lesson plan book, but the notes in her lesson plan book were very much shorthand. I had no information about how long to spend on each subject, I didn't even have times listed for lunch or recess. Her plans for math said - estimation. That was it. It also said estimation for yesterday and also next week. So all I really knew is that the lesson had been introduced, and that she would be spending a little bit of time on the subject. Since this was a second grade class it was very likely that this was the first time that they had talked about estimation. Needless to say I was completely winging it. Just to add some excitement to things, the principal of the school decided to come and sit in on my lesson. This is the first time that I have had this happen as a substitute, that the principal was watching me teach. A little bit unnerving, but luckily even though I was winging it I definitely was in my rhythm today.

My other high/low point of the day is when one of the kids at recess (yes, I somehow managed to have recess duty), came up to me and said that with my goatee and belly that I looked like Santa Claus. Thanks kid! That's a lump of coal for you on December 25th.

Come to think of it, maybe that is my new discipline strategy. I will convince all the younger kids that I am actually Santa Claus on a secret mission to discover which kids are being naughty or nice. Heh, heh, heh---let my evil plan begin.